PowerBack ~ D'Onta Foreman ~ Texas LongHorns ~ 6003/234
Regarding PowerBacks
A couple Years ago, I dropped the term "FlexBack" and divided all HalfBacks into PowerBacks & SpeedBacks.
I've come to believe that any HalfBack that doesn't bring a Passing Game element to the BattleField is...incomplete.
Hence, the term "FlexBack" ~ although quite cool, I believe!! ~ short-circuits the Evaluation Process.
As to how I break them down, I expect that the terms are pretty self-explanatory:
PowerBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work between the Tackles..
SpeedBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work outside the Tackles.
The PowerBack prototype would be about 5115/220 or so.
The SpeedBack prototype would be about 5010/200 or so.
Those are gross oversimplifications, of course, and many HalfBacks will manifest Attributes of both styles. Indeed, Power and Speed ~ better yet: Agility ~ are crucial to the Success of either kind of HalfBack. But I believe that it advances the discussion and better serves my Fellow FootBall Fanatics if I make an effort to distinguish between types.
This is how I break things down, when evaluating all HalfBacks:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Upper body Power is important, but lower body Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. An HalfBack's Capacity to break Tackles is more about Core Power than anything else.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Ricochet. Long Speed is all well and good, but at the end of the day, it is Gravy. What wins Championships is Moving The Chains. And Moving The Chains is accomplished far more consistently by the guys who exhibit the Agility ~ and the Focus ~ to consistently pick up 5 and sometimes 10 Yards at a time.
Processing Speed: Diagnostic Velocity. Field Vision. That ethereal Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Rapidly Roiling & Boiling Tactical LandScape...and to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking: Having an HalfBack who doesn't Block effectively is like having 10 Men on the Field of Battle. Most HalfBacks just coming out'f College are mediocre Blockers, but this is a crucial Aspect of the Game that they'll need to master.
Receiving: Whether he be a PowerBack or a SpeedBack, an HalfBack that can effectively present a genuine Threat in the Passing Game dramatically increases his Team's Options on any given Play. The more dynamic the Threat, the more valuable to'is Team on the Field of Battle, whether he's just slipping out'f the BackField or splitting out Wide.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power is most of it. Tyrannosaurus Rex would've made an Hell of an HalfBack.
* Torso Power doesn't hurt, though.
Agility
* Launch Velocity
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Long Speed
Processing Speed
* That ethereal Capacity to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Receiving
* Separation
* Catch Point Capacity
* Navigation
I've come to believe that any HalfBack that doesn't bring a Passing Game element to the BattleField is...incomplete.
Hence, the term "FlexBack" ~ although quite cool, I believe!! ~ short-circuits the Evaluation Process.
As to how I break them down, I expect that the terms are pretty self-explanatory:
PowerBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work between the Tackles..
SpeedBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work outside the Tackles.
The PowerBack prototype would be about 5115/220 or so.
The SpeedBack prototype would be about 5010/200 or so.
Those are gross oversimplifications, of course, and many HalfBacks will manifest Attributes of both styles. Indeed, Power and Speed ~ better yet: Agility ~ are crucial to the Success of either kind of HalfBack. But I believe that it advances the discussion and better serves my Fellow FootBall Fanatics if I make an effort to distinguish between types.
This is how I break things down, when evaluating all HalfBacks:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Upper body Power is important, but lower body Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. An HalfBack's Capacity to break Tackles is more about Core Power than anything else.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Ricochet. Long Speed is all well and good, but at the end of the day, it is Gravy. What wins Championships is Moving The Chains. And Moving The Chains is accomplished far more consistently by the guys who exhibit the Agility ~ and the Focus ~ to consistently pick up 5 and sometimes 10 Yards at a time.
Processing Speed: Diagnostic Velocity. Field Vision. That ethereal Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Rapidly Roiling & Boiling Tactical LandScape...and to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking: Having an HalfBack who doesn't Block effectively is like having 10 Men on the Field of Battle. Most HalfBacks just coming out'f College are mediocre Blockers, but this is a crucial Aspect of the Game that they'll need to master.
Receiving: Whether he be a PowerBack or a SpeedBack, an HalfBack that can effectively present a genuine Threat in the Passing Game dramatically increases his Team's Options on any given Play. The more dynamic the Threat, the more valuable to'is Team on the Field of Battle, whether he's just slipping out'f the BackField or splitting out Wide.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power is most of it. Tyrannosaurus Rex would've made an Hell of an HalfBack.
* Torso Power doesn't hurt, though.
Agility
* Launch Velocity
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Long Speed
Processing Speed
* That ethereal Capacity to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Receiving
* Separation
* Catch Point Capacity
* Navigation
D'Onta Foreman Scouting Report
Power: Outstanding. Foreman breaks Tackles regularly and often.
Agility: Excellent. Effective Acceleration and Speed, exceptional Ricochet, and tremendous Fluidity.
Field Vision: Effective, and with exceptional Potential. Foreman's only started for one Year, and was predictably inconsistent in this regard, but he's already effective at Synchronizing his Timing with his Linemen, though he's sporadic at reading the Tactical LandScape with Speed and Precision. He just needs Time & Training.
Blocking: Marginal, though with excellent Potential. Mediocre Motor. Deficient Combat Skills. Tremendous Motor.
Receiving: This is an enormous part of any HalfBack's Evaluation, but I've gotta say: Incomplete. The LongHorns ignored the HalfBack almost entirely in the Passing Game during Foreman's Tenure, as he hauled in a Grand Total of 13 Receptions over the course'f'is three Campaigns, there. He looked competent on those few Looks.
DeMerit: Sketchy FootBall Security. Foreman Fumbles too often.
Agility: Excellent. Effective Acceleration and Speed, exceptional Ricochet, and tremendous Fluidity.
Field Vision: Effective, and with exceptional Potential. Foreman's only started for one Year, and was predictably inconsistent in this regard, but he's already effective at Synchronizing his Timing with his Linemen, though he's sporadic at reading the Tactical LandScape with Speed and Precision. He just needs Time & Training.
Blocking: Marginal, though with excellent Potential. Mediocre Motor. Deficient Combat Skills. Tremendous Motor.
Receiving: This is an enormous part of any HalfBack's Evaluation, but I've gotta say: Incomplete. The LongHorns ignored the HalfBack almost entirely in the Passing Game during Foreman's Tenure, as he hauled in a Grand Total of 13 Receptions over the course'f'is three Campaigns, there. He looked competent on those few Looks.
DeMerit: Sketchy FootBall Security. Foreman Fumbles too often.
D'Onta Foreman ~ Prospectus
I'm reading a lot of LaGarrette Blount Comparison about D'Onta Foreman, but I don't see that at all: Blount's always been hampered by shockingly deficient Power for a PowerBack, but that is not the case with Foreman.
However, for those arguing that he should've waited a Year to Declare, I fully agree.
D'Onta Foreman is a Top Shelf Talent, exhibiting a stellar combination of Power and Fluidity. When somebody as Strong as Foreman can slip and slide at Foreman's level, he has the athletic capacity to tear Chunk Yardage out'f'is Foes consistently, given the Processing Speed to discern and exploit the Opportunities available.
Foreman flashes the Processing Speed and Field Vision to do so, but I believe that he needed more Time and Training at Texas to develop it, having started for just the one Campaign...And he also needed Time & Training to develop both his Combat Skills in Pass Protection, and his Field Vision and Route Running in the Receiving Game.
Had he waited another Year to declare, he might very well've developed these Aspects of'is Game sufficiently enough to warrant a 1st Round Grade...But it is what it is. The LongHorns might very well've worn'm out, had he played another Campaign, and talented HalfBacks tend to get beaten and abused into Prematurely Early Athletic Graves.
As it is, D'Onta Freeman brings Top 10 Level Talent to the Field of Battle, but substantial Risk of Failure, due to his needing Tons of Time & Training in Field Vision, Blocking, and Receving...so I tend to agree with his Market Value.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
However, for those arguing that he should've waited a Year to Declare, I fully agree.
D'Onta Foreman is a Top Shelf Talent, exhibiting a stellar combination of Power and Fluidity. When somebody as Strong as Foreman can slip and slide at Foreman's level, he has the athletic capacity to tear Chunk Yardage out'f'is Foes consistently, given the Processing Speed to discern and exploit the Opportunities available.
Foreman flashes the Processing Speed and Field Vision to do so, but I believe that he needed more Time and Training at Texas to develop it, having started for just the one Campaign...And he also needed Time & Training to develop both his Combat Skills in Pass Protection, and his Field Vision and Route Running in the Receiving Game.
Had he waited another Year to declare, he might very well've developed these Aspects of'is Game sufficiently enough to warrant a 1st Round Grade...But it is what it is. The LongHorns might very well've worn'm out, had he played another Campaign, and talented HalfBacks tend to get beaten and abused into Prematurely Early Athletic Graves.
As it is, D'Onta Freeman brings Top 10 Level Talent to the Field of Battle, but substantial Risk of Failure, due to his needing Tons of Time & Training in Field Vision, Blocking, and Receving...so I tend to agree with his Market Value.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Warrior ~ Par Value
| Market Value 2nd/3rd Round | Yankee Grade 2nd/3rd Round |
Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
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